Breer On Marc Trestman's Firing
- Marc Trestman‘s pass-first philosophy helped bring an end to his tenure as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, according to Breer. Baltimore fell from eighth in rushing under previous O-coordinator Gary Kubiak in 2014 to 26th last season with Trestman. Those ground woes have continued early this year for the Ravens, who rank 28th in rushing, though Terrance West has averaged an outstanding 5.0 yards per carry on 65 attempts. West picked up 95 yards in the Ravens’ 16-10 loss to the Redskins last Sunday, but he only amassed 11 carries in Trestman’s final game at the helm. “The players lost faith in [Trestman] last year, and he never got it back,” a Baltimore source said.
[SOURCE LINK]
Practice Squad Updates: 10/13/16
Thursday’s practice squad transactions from around the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Robertson Daniel
- Cut: G Jarell Broxton
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Steve Longa
- Cut: LB Zaviar Gooden
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DL Morgan Fox
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Michael Hunter
- Placed On P-Squad IR: DB Donte Deayon
Ravens Owner Pushed To Fire Marc Trestman?
Marc Trestman is out in Baltimore and it may not have been John Harbaugh‘s doing. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti had a strong hand in firing the offensive coordinator, sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Furthermore, sources say that Trestman’s relationship with Joe Flacco became strained this year and that was likely a factor in the ouster of Trestman. Flacco had a similar rift with former Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron in 2012. 
When asked about Bisciotti’s role in Trestman’s dismissal this week, Harbaugh denied that the decision was made solely upstairs. However, as Cole notes, Bisciotti has been with the team at practice a lot more than usual in recent days.
With Trestman gone, former quarterbacks coach Marty Mornhinweg has gotten bumped up to offensive coordinator.
Ravens Claim OL Billy Turner Off Waivers
The Ravens have claimed offensive lineman Billy Turner off of waivers, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Turner was cut loose by the Dolphins on Tuesday. To make room, linebacker Chris Carter has been released.
Turner started 12 games for the Dolphins last year. This year, the team shifted him to the bench and he still did not produce to their liking in his reduced role. In five games (two starts), Pro Football Focus rated him as the 75th best tackle out of 76 qualified players this season. He earned a poor overall grade of 31.8 in 63 pass block snaps and 34 run block snaps.
Now, the Ravens are hoping that a change of scenery will breed better results. A former third-round pick, Turner played tackle collegiately but he moved to the interior for Miami. The Ravens recently added guard Vlad Ducasse, so it will be interesting to see what their O-Line looks like by the end of the week.
Ravens Sign G Vladimir Ducasse
The Ravens announced that they are placing cornerback Sheldon Price on injured reserve. To fill his spot on the roster, the Ravens re-signed guard Vlad Ducasse. 
[RELATED: Ravens Fire OC Marc Trestman]
Price’s season is likely over thanks to a severe thigh injury. The cornerback started for Baltimore on Sunday as Shareece Wright was sidelined, but he was forced to exit in the first quarter. The Redskins went on to win 16-10.
Ducasse, 28, made 78 appearances and 22 starts with three teams from 2010-15. Ducasse, whom the Jets chose in the second round of the 2010 draft, started a career-high 11 games as a member of the Bears last season. The Jets drafted Ducasse based on his raw potential, but he was never able to put it all together in New York. After being cut by the Ravens late in the offseason, Ducasse auditioned for the Lions, but didn’t get a call back. Now, he’s circling back to Baltimore.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens Won't Hire New QBs Coach
- After promoting quarterbacks coach Marty Mornhinweg to replace fired offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, the Ravens don’t plan to hire a new QBs coach, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Instead, longtime coach Craig Ver Steeg — listed as a senior offensive assistant in the club’s media guide — will assist in quarterback meetings.
Ravens Fire OC Marc Trestman
The Ravens are firing offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Baltimore is replacing him with Marty Mornhinweg. The team has since confirmed the move via press release.
Trestman’s firing comes one day after the Ravens suffered a 16-10 loss at home against the Redskins. After the game, quarterback Joe Flacco described the offense as “embarrassing” and said that the struggles so far this year have been “frustrating.” Apparently, team brass agreed and Trestman has been sacked five games into the season.
Trestman previously served as the Bears’ head coach from 2013 through 2014. After the Bears finished 8-8 in Trestman’s first year, they took a step back in 2014 with a 5-win season. Trestman was canned after the season, but the Ravens quickly scooped him up as their offensive coordinator.
Last year, the Ravens finished 14th in the NFL in total yards but placed in the bottom third of the league in points scored. Through five games this year, they’re roughly in the same position and the Ravens have opted to make a change. Mornhinweg, who previously served as Baltimore’s quarterbacks coach, will now get bumped up to OC. Mornhinweg has served as an offensive coordinator for three different teams (Jets, Eagles, and 49ers) in his career and is best known for his time as the head coach of the Lions, although that is a period he’d probably like to forget.
The Ravens will put a strong emphasis on maintaining balance on offense and sticking with the run game while reinforcing the downfield passing game, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. The Ravens can be expected to lean on Terrance West and they could also get Kenneth Dixon more involved as they look to spark their run game.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens Activate Darren Waller
As expected, the Ravens have activated tight end Darren Waller, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The second-year pro will be taking the roster spot of tight end Maxx Williams, who was placed on injured reserve yesterday.
The 24-year-old sat out the first month of the season after having been suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. A sixth-round pick by the Ravens in 2015, Waller hauled in a pair of catches for 18 yards as a rookie. After appearing in six games (one start) last season, some questioned whether the Georgia Tech product would even make the team’s 53-man roster in 2016. The suspension apparently bought Waller some extra time, and injuries may allow him to stay on the roster for the rest of the season. As Zrebiec notes, Waller should also contribute on a struggling special teams unit.
Waller originally violated the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The tight end was also suspended twice at Georgia Tech after testing positive for marijuana. The tight end recently opened up about his substance abuse issues with Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com.
“There were other personal issues, and [marijuana] was the one thing I always turned to,” Waller said. “It was just about finding more positive outlets for me to do, like talking to people about it and things like that. I’m definitely at a better place with that now.”
As Roster Resource shows, the Ravens now have three tight ends on the depth chart behind starter Dennis Pitta: Crockett Gillmore, Daniel Brown, and Waller.
Ravens Place Maxx Williams On IR
The Ravens announced that they have placed tight end Maxx Williams on injured reserve. Williams has been dealing with a knee injury that will likely require surgery. 
Under the new IR rules, players can return to action after eight weeks on the list. However, this is probably a season-ender for Williams since its sounds like he is going under the knife. The team has yet to make a corresponding move, but they could activate tight end Darren Waller to the 53-man roster, according to the team website. Waller is set to return from a four-game suspension this week. The team also recently brought up tight end Daniel Brown, so they may not opt for another player at that position.
Williams’ knee injury was manageable until he aggravated it in Sunday’s contest against the Raiders. A second-round pick in 2015, Williams set franchise rookie tight end records last year with 32 receptions for 268 yards and one touchdown. Now, Baltimore will have to wait until next year to see him on the field again.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens Sign DB Marqueston Huff
The Ravens have plucked defensive back Marqueston Huff off of the Jaguars’ practice squad, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Huff will take the place of cornerback Maurice Canady, who has been placed on IR with a knee injury. 
Huff, 24, entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Titans in 2014. In two years with Tennessee, the defensive back appeared in 30 games and tallied 23 tackles, one interception, one sack, and four passes defensed. Prior to the 53-man deadline, the Titans bounced Huff along with other notables from the old regime like Justin Hunter, Bishop Sankey, and Dexter McCluster.
Canady was selected by Baltimore in the sixth round of this year’s draft. A four-year player at Virginia, Canady closed out his collegiate career with 37 tackles, three tackles for a loss, and six passes defensed. He did not record an official statistic in his one month with the Ravens.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.